On Sunday, William Byron delivered a clinic in fuel strategy, pulling off a gutsy win at Iowa Speedway. It marked just his second Cup Series victory of the 2025 season, where he certainly reminded everyone of his racecraft. The 27-year-old has been competing at the Cup level since 2018, having launched his career with Hendrick Motorsports. Over the years, he’s worked with a few different crew chiefs, but one partnership has truly stood out, his connection with Rudy Fugle. That trust played a key role in Sunday’s win, with a crucial call from Fugle that Byron backed without hesitation.

Byron began his journey with Darian Grubb, followed by Chad Knaus in 2019 and again in 2020, with Keith Rodden stepping in briefly. Since 2021, he’s been working with Rudy Fugle, a steady and successful partnership that continues today.

Their connection, however, goes much deeper than just the past few seasons. Byron and Fugle first worked together back in 2016 at Kyle Busch Motorsports, where they built a strong foundation of trust and communication. That history made their reunion at Hendrick in 2021 a natural fit.

Fuel, trust, and wins: The Byron-Fugle formula

Speaking on Kevin Harvick’s podcast, Byron reflected on that bond, explaining how it gave Fugle the confidence to make a bold fuel-saving call at Iowa, and how Byron never second-guessed it.

William Byron told Kaitlyn Vincie, “Yeah we do. Our relationship has really evolved a lot this year. We’ve been through some races where I feel like in the past, it went smoother because less variables. This year, there’s been a lot of variables that were out of our control. All that adversity has kind of helped us for yesterday’s moment. Lot of trust for sure, and lot of honest conversations and communication throughout, like some of the other races that happened this year to see how we can do that better.”

Out of William Byron ’s 15 Cup Series wins, 14 have come with Rudy Fugle on the pit box, proof of how strong their partnership has been. That run includes back-to-back Daytona 500 victories, a major milestone in any driver’s career. Over their five years together, Byron has also won at Homestead-Miami, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Darlington, Watkins Glen, Texas, COTA, and Iowa. He’s picked up two wins each at Atlanta and Martinsville, adding to an already impressive resume.

Byron has admitted that 2025 hasn’t exactly gone his way, aside from the two wins. There have been moments where either he or Fugle slipped up, leading to disappointing results. On one occasion, Byron was in position to win but misjudged his fuel and fell out of contention. At Iowa, he found himself in a similar spot, but this time, he nailed it.

The respect that Byron has for Rudy Fugle is also reciprocated. He told Hendrick Motorsports, “He’s an awesome driver. I think he’s the best driver all around in the field right now. Of course he’s mine, and I should say that, but I really think he’s maturing and getting the experience to show that off. He’s very well diversified, and then he’s a fighter. He’s got a heart of a lion and fights through everything. There’s no quit. Those are things that he’s gotten better at as well over the years just rolling with the punches and what happens next, and next thing you know you’re leading, and you’ve got a chance to win.”

William Byron in top form as regular season winds down

William Byron has been one of the most consistent drivers this season. With wins at the Daytona 500 and Iowa, he now leads the NASCAR Cup Series standings by 18 points over teammate Chase Elliott. His strong performances have put him in a great position to claim the regular season championship, with just three races remaining.

Byron’s win at Iowa was especially impressive. He stretched his fuel for 144 laps, well beyond the typical window, and held off Chase Briscoe in a race filled with cautions. That win was a much-needed rebound for Byron, who had struggled in recent weeks, finishing 27th or worse in five of the last eight races. Despite the slump, his 2025 season stats are solid: 2 wins, 8 top-five finishes, 12 top tens, 2 poles, and an average finish of 14.17.

Up next is Watkins Glen, the iconic road course where Byron put on a clinic in 2023, leading 66 laps in a commanding victory. With momentum on his side, he’ll be looking to repeat that performance and tighten his grip on the points lead. It’s a track known for surprises, and with drivers like Shane van Gisbergen in the mix, it could shake things up again. After that, the series heads to Richmond and then Daytona. Richmond is a short track where strategy matters. Daytona, though, is Byron’s sweet spot. He’s won the Daytona 500 twice and always seems to find speed there. With the playoffs approaching, drivers near the cut line will be pushing hard.